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Glas Tek only uses high quality replacement auto glass and materials that meet or exceed all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). All of our replacement auto glass is thoroughly inspected and backed by a nationwide lifetime guarantee against manufacturers’ defects, stress fractures, leakage, and workmanship. Specific brand requests will be honored and factory glass is available upon request.
In the auto glass replacement industry, it's common for OEM glass requests to be misunderstood by insurance companies, auto glass shops, and customers alike. Many people often confuse OEM glass with dealer or factory glass, assuming they are identical. However, there are distinct differences between the two.
Factory or dealer replacement auto glass refers to glass that is manufactured with the dealer’s insignia or logo, such as Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Dodge, and Lexus. These glass parts are produced by an OEM manufacturer like Pilkington (formerly LOF or Libby Nippon), Guardian, Mopar, PGW (formerly PPG), or Carlite.
This indicates that Pilkington, an OEM manufacturer, produced the windshield for GMC (Factory/Dealer). If you want a replacement windshield with the GMC logo, you'll need to purchase it directly from the dealer. However, if you're only interested in getting a Pilkington (OEM) windshield and don't need the GMC logo, you can opt for Pilkington-branded glass. It’s the same glass, made from the same template, just without the GMC logo and available at a lower cost. Pilkington cannot sell windshields with the GMC logo to the public, as they manufacture those specifically for the Dealer/Factory.
OEM replacement auto glass refers to glass produced by the same manufacturers that supply glass for vehicle manufacturers. These OEM manufacturers, such as Pilkington (formerly LOF or Libby Nippon), Guardian (now out of business), and PGW (formerly PPG), adhere to the higher quality standards set by auto makers, ensuring a reliable fit and performance.
Aftermarket replacement auto glass is produced to meet the same specifications as OEM or factory glass and is federally regulated to comply with all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). However, these manufacturers use reverse engineering to create the part template and may not always adhere to the same strict quality standards as OEM manufacturers. That said, aftermarket glass is made to match the exact thickness and specifications of OEM or factory/dealer parts.
All auto glass is federally regulated and must display the manufacturer's name, such as
Pilkington (formerly LOF or Libby Nippon),
Mopar or
PGW. You can usually find this information in the monogram located at the bottom of the glass. If you're unable to identify the manufacturer or want more details, there is also a Department of Transportation (DOT) number on the glass. By entering this number into a
DOT database, you can find out who made your glass and where it was manufactured.
First, what do you mean by "exact"? Are you looking for a windshield with the dealer’s logo on it? If so, most windshields with a dealer insignia—except for Ford and Dodge/Chrysler—must be purchased directly from the dealer. This often comes at a higher cost and could take several days to receive.
However, if you’re looking for the same OEM/brand-name glass without the dealer logo, it's typically available at a lower price and can be sourced much more quickly.
All replacement auto glass, whether produced by OEM, Dealer/Factory, or aftermarket suppliers, will look identical. It will be manufactured with the same thickness, color, black dot matrix pattern, and black frit around the edges, regardless of the brand.
While many insurance companies may discourage you from opting for factory/dealer glass, most will still provide coverage for newer vehicles, typically those from the current year or the previous one or two years. For instance, if it's 2011, your insurance would generally cover factory/dealer requests for vehicles from 2011, 2010, and 2009. Additionally, some insurance policies now include OEM endorsement clauses.
No, windshields are regulated to comply with specific standards that allow for a variance of only .005 inches. This means that regardless of whether the part is OEM, Factory/Dealer, or Aftermarket, all must adhere to the same requirements for that specific component.
Yes and no. For example, the thickness specifications for a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu windshield may differ from those for a 2005 Ford Focus. However, if two manufacturers produce the same windshield part number, they will maintain the same thickness within an allowable and regulated variance established by the Society of Automotive Engineers under standard SAE673.
That's understandable. However, even if your vehicle is an American brand, the OEM manufacturer might have production facilities in places like China or Mexico. Therefore, if you're seeking the "original" windshield, it could very well be manufactured in another country. Currently, there are no windshields or parts that are entirely produced in America.
That’s accurate. Since the gas crisis of the 1970s, automotive manufacturers have implemented numerous design alterations to reduce vehicle weight. These adjustments involve incorporating more plastics and less steel, using lighter glass, and creating more aerodynamic shapes.
Regrettably, glass can break for various reasons, such as the size, shape, and speed of the object, the speed of your vehicle, and where the impact occurs. If the glass is hit near the edges, it’s more likely to crack and spread quickly. According to SAE J673, all glass is produced to the same standards of thickness, curvature, flatness, and size, regardless of the brand, within a controlled variance. Until they create an unbreakable glass, we’ll continue to be in business.
Yes, they do. If the OEM doesn't hold exclusive rights to the template, they manufacture the glass using the same reverse engineering process as aftermarket suppliers.
Not necessarily. Auto glass shops may not always be aware of who originally manufactured your glass. As a result, they will source replacement auto glass from an OEM supplier, which might not be the same as the original manufacturer.
Yes, it typically will be. In many cases, we need to source the replacement auto glass directly from the dealer to obtain the dealer insignia on the glass. This means that the price we pay to the dealer is higher, which we then pass on to our customers. The exception to this is if you need a Ford (Carlite) or Dodge/Chrysler (Mopar) part; in those cases, we can order from our local supplier, but these parts usually still come at a premium price.
It's important to understand that all windshields have some degree of distortion. However, in certain cases, the distortion can be more noticeable in specific windshields, regardless of who manufactured them. This means it can occur with OEM glass, dealer/factory glass, or aftermarket glass. If you experience any distortion issues with the windshields we install, they're covered by your nationwide lifetime warranty, so you won't incur any costs for a replacement.
Leaks in windshields are usually a result of improper installation rather than the glass quality itself. Additionally, your windshield comes with a nationwide lifetime warranty against leaks. If you experience any leaking, please don't hesitate to contact us so we can resolve the issue promptly.
All replacement windshields and auto glass components are produced to the same standards, and we provide a nationwide lifetime warranty that covers leaks, manufacturing defects, and installation issues. This means you face minimal risk as a customer. Our pricing is determined by the most cost-effective part available, which may not always be an OEM component. We're also happy to accommodate any specific requests you may have for replacement auto glass. We don’t favor any particular manufacturer; our priority is to keep costs as low as possible for our customers.
You're definitely not alone in that feeling. In today’s competitive economy, many OEM suppliers have relocated their manufacturing plants to overseas locations to remain competitive with aftermarket suppliers. As a result, there’s often a blending of OEM and aftermarket auto glass replacement parts, which can make it difficult to differentiate between the two.
You're not the only one wondering about this. In today’s economy, many OEM suppliers have had to relocate their manufacturing facilities overseas to keep pace with aftermarket competitors. As a result, they often stock aftermarket auto glass replacement parts, leading to a blending of the two markets.
A windshield consists of two layers of glass with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer sandwiched between them. This PVB layer provides the windshield with structural integrity while also contributing to color and UV protection. Once assembled, the result is laminated safety glass. In the event of an impact, this PVB layer prevents debris from breaking through the glass, which is crucial for your safety. Additionally, it acts as part of the vehicle’s restraint system, keeping you secure inside the car during a collision.
All windshields are required to meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). They must be manufactured according to specific guidelines that ensure they can withstand rigorous testing. This means that both the glass and the PVB interlayer must adhere to federally regulated thickness standards specific to each vehicle model. Moreover, manufacturers are required to display their plant information on the windshield, a regulation designed to enhance safety in the event of an accident. Consequently, all windshields are created to the same original manufacturer specifications, regardless of the producer. Notably, most manufacturers source their raw materials from the same suppliers.
For instance, if you own a 2000 Ford F150 Truck, the original manufacturer would be Carlite, with a National Auto Glass Specifications (NAGS) part number of DW1099. Therefore, if you need to replace your windshield later with a non-OEM part, it must be manufactured to the same thickness, flatness, curvature, and size within allowable tolerances. The only difference will be the brand name etched onto the glass, the manufacturing template used, and the quality standards of the manufacturer.
OEM manufacturers such as Pilkington (LOF, LN, Libby Nippon), Guardian, Mopar, PGW (PPG), and Carlite are responsible for producing replacement auto glass for various automobile brands like Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Dodge, and Lexus. Each auto glass part may come from different manufacturers; for example, a Chevrolet windshield might be produced by Pilkington, while the door glass and quarter glasses could come from PGW. Additionally, manufacturers may change over time; for instance, Pilkington could have supplied Chevrolet pickups from 1995 to 1999, but now PPG is the preferred supplier.
What exactly does being an OEM manufacturer entail? It means that the OEM manufacturer has been granted exclusive rights by the automaker to produce replacement auto glass for a specific part for a designated period. The OEM manufacturer receives the original template containing precise manufacturing specifications, which includes the shell dimensions (width, length, curvature) for that product. The thickness of the glass and vinyl of the windshield is publicly available information, and OEM manufacturers might be held to higher quality standards imposed by automakers.
With these exclusive rights, OEM replacement auto glass manufacturers can create glass with the “dealer insignia” and distribute it to the automaker’s manufacturing facilities and dealerships globally. Automakers like Lexus will install these windshields at the factory or sell them to consumers through dealerships, complete with their logo. This is classified as Dealer or Factory Glass. However, OEM manufacturers are generally not permitted to sell windshields directly to the public with dealer insignia, with exceptions for Ford and Dodge/Chrysler. Instead, they can use the same template and sell the glass with their logo. Essentially, this results in identical glass pieces without the dealer logo. For example, Pilkington is the main supplier for Lexus windshields, allowing customers to either purchase a windshield with the “Lexus” logo or one manufactured by Pilkington with its branding. The price difference can be substantial—often around $1,000.
Parts manufactured by Ford (Carlite) and Dodge/Chrysler (Mopar) are regularly produced and supplied to local OEM manufacturers, making them consistently available, though typically at a higher cost. Thus, it’s possible to obtain the Dealer/Factory part bearing the dealer insignia, but at an elevated price.
Conversely, an aftermarket windshield is produced to meet the original manufacturer’s specifications (same color, thickness) but does not use the “original” factory template. Instead, the specifications are recreated using a factory windshield via reverse engineering. This involves measuring the existing windshield rather than using the original template supplied by the automaker. Thanks to modern technology, this process yields very precise results, and the glass strength and thickness (the most critical factor) adhere to FMVSS regulations.
To complicate matters, many OEM manufacturers also produce aftermarket glass to remain competitive. Consequently, a manufacturer like Pilkington might hold the rights to one part while also selling a part for which they do not have exclusive rights. This means they can operate as an OEM manufacturer while also selling aftermarket glass. Additionally, many OEM manufacturers are relocating their production facilities overseas to compete in the aftermarket segment. Thus, both OEM and Dealer/Factory parts may be produced in countries like Mexico or China.
If you want to determine who manufactured your auto glass, look for the Department of Transportation (DOT) Number on your windshield. All windshields must display a DOT number as per regulations. If you have the original windshield in your vehicle, it will likely still feature the dealer insignia, such as the logos of Lexus, GMC, or Honda etched into the glass. The DOT number is typically found at the bottom of the windshield in the monogram. You can reference this DOT Database for details about the manufacturer.
For customers seeking OEM glass for a 2000 Chevrolet Pickup without the original windshield, identifying the specific manufacturer can be challenging. Unfortunately, most OEM manufacturers do not disclose this information publicly. Moreover, after a certain timeframe, the original OEM manufacturer may lose its exclusive rights. The only manufacturers that have consistently maintained this status are Ford with Carlite, Dodge and Chrysler with Mopar, and currently Lexus and Toyota with Pilkington. PGW, Pilkington, and Guardian remain the leading suppliers for GM vehicles, including Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and GMC.
In summary, OEM manufacturers like Pilkington, Guardian, Mopar, PPG, and Carlite produce the glass for Dealers or Factories featuring the dealer insignia (Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Dodge, and Lexus). If they hold exclusive rights to a template, they cannot sell it directly to the public with the dealer insignia, but they can do so with their logo. Essentially, this means you are getting the same glass made from the same template without the dealer insignia. However, if the OEM manufacturer does not hold rights to a specific template, they can still recreate it according to manufacturing guidelines through reverse engineering and resell it to the public with their logo as aftermarket glass. This creates a scenario where an OEM manufacturer also sells aftermarket glass.
If you need windshield services, contact AGS Auto Glass & Calibrations at (480) 272-5115.
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